


After the End, Came A Life

by shores



Category: Original Work
Genre: Bittersweet, Cunnilingus, Ex-Girlfriends, Extra Treat, F/F, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Post-Apocalypse, Tribadism, Vaginal Fingering, sex as payment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 00:52:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14320920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shores/pseuds/shores
Summary: There are mentions of typical post-apocalypse violence and horrors, as well as humans-turned-monsters and sex as payment.Elham means inspiration (I note this as there is one line referring to it as a pun. I couldn't resist. /o\)





	After the End, Came A Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Innin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Innin/gifts).



> There are mentions of typical post-apocalypse violence and horrors, as well as humans-turned-monsters and sex as payment.
> 
> Elham means inspiration (I note this as there is one line referring to it as a pun. I couldn't resist. /o\\)

 

The La Ones used to be humans. One heart, one wonderful mind, pairs of several organs, and a figure resembling the gods. As perfect as it could get.

But then March 2053 happened, and no one was prepared for what hideous shape human body could turn into because of reasons still beyond anyone's knowledge.

Elham was 24 at that time, an earnest doctor-to-be with a promising future and a dream (that her parents could never know about) to be a scientist regarded with much respect and admiration from the world.

Oh, and the world was a little bit better back then. Just a little bit.

Now, more than two decades later, the La Ones were still beasts roaming the world with no exact shape to their horrifying monstrosity, and no pattern to be found in their behavior other than attacking mostly humans.

They were very hard to kill and very hard to understand, and Elham would rather die than to be a prey for one of them.

  
But a confined and sedated La One was not that much of a threat and that's why Elham was calm. Excited even.

"Still believe you can bring that back to human, Doc?"

Elham swallowed thickly, she wasn't afraid. Worried? Yes, a lot. Stormed by theories and possibilities she had been waiting to test and find for the last few years? Definitely.

The chains around the beast seemed tight and lodged accurately in their places. The cage itself looked strong, and Sand's thumbs up after checking it only affirmed that.

So Elham should not be afraid, or even worried. She should be thrilled and perhaps thankful because it was a wonderful day; the sky was overcast and the crashing waves had only been a calming lullaby. And she got to see the Forest City's leader-slash-ex-girlfriend, who brought her a monster as a gift.

"A fully turned La One? Impossible." Elham finally answered, her excitement clouding her mind. Luna probably wasn't serious about her question as she knew every major thing about La Ones. "But if we finally discovered what's the virus, I might be able to stop them from turning during the infection period."

Luna was smiling as she stared at the knocked out, awful-looking figure inside the cage. She was smiling so beautifully - in Elham's eyes - that Elham almost mistook the sadness written in her hazel eyes as peacefulness or even delight.

_Maybe this La One caused trouble for them._

"We have been trying to catch one in the right timeframe of transformation for ages now." Elham spoke when silence was interrupted only by the lonely birds above them and the joyful voices of their people near the docks.

"I know," Luna answered, locking eyes with Elham, and of course she knew.

  
Elham did not care how excited she sounded, nor how childishly and easily affected she was by what's familiar of Luna. It was silly, really, but when Luna called her Doctor, it was always nice, lacking any malice or taunt despite all their current differences, despite Elham's constant failure at finding a cure.

Elham couldn't help but to feel a tinge of joy. Even if the other leaders in the area always called her with her unofficial title, and they sounded nice. On good days.

"From the look of it, it shouldn't have been turned for more than a couple of days. That should make it a good test subject, I believe?"

Elham nodded. "Very good." Then she remembered. "How did you capture it? And why?! You always kill them on sight." And that made her notice something so late. "April did not come with you? Oh my, that's a first. I didn't think she was physically capable of letting you out of her sight." Elham asked, her smile beaming with more joy.

She had been so eager to start working already that she didn't notice the lack of certain (annoying) someone's presence.

"Funny. I didn't think you'd owe me this quick after what you said that last time I visited, Elham." Luna smiled, cunning and enjoying herself.

Smiles looked nice on her, always distracting Elham.

Luna continued, pretending to wonder. "What was it again? _I_ would never get you to owe me anything? I can't remember quite right, you were barely making any sense with my head between your legs." She then winked and turned to leave.

It took Elham a moment to register the meaning.

"Hey, that's not fair! I won't owe you anything." Elham yelled.

Luna pulled her worn coat tighter as she walked on the paved path. "Does this mean I should take it back with me?" she said, voice raised enough for Elham to hear the sarcasm in it.

Upon noticing, her people bid their farewells to The Port's residents and headed for their convoy.

  
Elham stared at her, suddenly feeling only the cool winds threading through her short, black hair and the presence of the La one next to her.

Sand was still there with her, too. Arms folded, leaning on the cage's pillar, and quiet as ever. His disapproval at her for being tricked was clear in the shake of his head.

How could Luna always find a way to be on top of her? Not that she minded that.

Sand narrowed his eyes at her, then moved his hands. _You like that, don't you?!_

"No?" Elham answered and stomped toward her lab.

He might be still young, younger than the beasts, but with how scorching hot her cheeks were, he would definitely notice how pleased she was with the fact that she'd see Luna again very soon.

  
*

One thing Elham hated the most about the Forest City was how close it was to the monsters. It was literally above one of their favorite playground.

Elham could swear she's hearing them in the distance below, howling and growling in search for a prey to rip apart, but that could be the wind, the very same breeze brushing her cheek through the cracks right now, or it could be echos from days ago when the La Ones got too close to her.

  
Elham had not been to the Forest City many times, perhaps that's why it felt as though the La Ones were scratching the huge tree trunks with their claws every other minute, climbing in order to get to her. But that's ridiculous. The trees were high, and the city's structure was belt around the trunks, not within them. Surely vibrations did not travel that far, right?

  
Besides, it wasn't like the La Ones had huge claws to help them climb. Just a twisted image of hands. Five fingers...

Elham shuddered, a weak breath escaped her mouth. "Goddamn it!" _She_ was being ridiculous.

Elham almost jumped when the wood creaked under approaching, steady footsteps, stirring anew an undying fear of the strong floor under her crumbling to the ground and taking her with it.

  
Elham steadied her heart as the door opened. She was there to pay her debt, she reminded herself, not to get antsy and tired.

The Forest City's leader entered with a quick smile on her face. "Elham!" She greeted, genuine but also formal, formal enough that Elham felt like a complete stranger. "You could not have chosen a better timing to fulfill your debt."

Maybe thirteen years were enough to label her as a stranger, Elham did not know why she expected other than that. _Again_.

Luna looked lovely under the lantern's soft light, her curly, black hair rested beautifully on her shoulders.

She continued, nearing Elham. "I've been anxious all day with how close we are to start building homes at the cliffs." She kissed her twice on both cheeks as usual, then met her eyes. "But shall we get over with it quick? I have urgent matters to attend to."

Elham scoffed, heat already rushing through her. "Way to kill the mood, Luna."

Luna regarded her with a doubtful look. "Is there one to begin with? You hate being here."

Luna walked to the prepared table and calmly started to remove her clothes piece by piece. She never liked having sex with her clothes on, at least not when she's the one on the receiving end of the pleasure.

Elham got distracted by that knowledge, by the familiar soft skin being uncovered, and missed to reply.

"I'm actually very surprised you're okay with spending the night here," Luna added, glancing at her once. "I thought you'd stop by, eat me out, and be on your way long before the Sun goes down."

Elham had been staring; enchanted by lithe fingers folding clothes and putting them on the sole chair in the room then untying underwears. Her heart paced, and it wasn't because she was caught staring.

Elham tried to sound indifferent. "We got delayed at The Fortress, camp is far, and some of your people owe us one thing or two for fishing in our waters." She sighed. "It's too dangerous to be out there in the night, you know that."

"We stay out just fine here, Elham. Day and night."

Luna probably did not mean to sound like she was gloating, it was not like her to take pleasure in others' unfortunate moments, but knowing what Luna meant, her words settled bitterly in Elham's heart like a lingering pang. Sudden and unending and yet not enough to squish Elham's soaring arousal.

The Port that Elham lived at used to be one of the first survivors' camps in the country, full of ships (that no longer had a fuel), but worked well as a safe haven - far away from the La Ones' reach. It had long been abandoned by most of its first residents, either because of death, departing toward a better home, or unknown fates, and become a destination for those who could not bare the new rules of the game called life. They often came to wait for the end peacefully, knowing Elham would not demand much from them.

It also used to be where Luna lived before she decided to stop chasing the world that ended.

"Well, not on the ground," Elham answered, not exactly trying to counter Luna's statement.

Luna, who was almost fully naked, did not seem affected. "The Fortress' people do, and Raiders practically hunt La Ones for sport no matter how many of them die or get turned. And besides, we will be able to once we finish our fence." Luna remained stoic when she added. "Only you still hide in a floating cave when life can still be lived, Elham."

It was too much then, it was enough to make Elham tear her eyes off her former lover.

She wanted to remind her how The Fortress's people lived inside a fucking _real_ fortress, with all the big and small guns they've managed to salvage, and how Raiders were a suicidal bunch and danger-addicts.

But why bother?

"We are not hiding."

For a fleeing moment, spending the night maneuvering her way around the La Ones with ten of her own comrades did not feel like such a bad idea.

But behind the window's lid, there was only darkness. Elham saw it through the stripes, she wasn't sure if they were facing the depth of the forest or the edge of it. The Forest City was sort of a maze, and Elham did not pay attention in her way to the leader's private Payments Room.

Regardless, wondering did not take her mind off the fact that Luna was naked feet away from her, preparing for a fuck, and the fact that her pussy was still pulsing with lust at that exact image even though this whole thing was not about her. She was paying the other leader with an orgasm for giving her a test subject.

She should not be turned on, but...

Was she really that frustrated? Elham tried to distract herself again, taking the soft clinking and thuds as helpful noise. When was the last time she herself had an orgasm? Or drew one with two fingers knuckles-deep in a needy pussy?

She couldn't remember because her mind kept digging up memories of Luna on top of her, under her, inside of her; memories of Luna kneeling in front of her with her face between Elham's thighs, kissing and licking and sucking. A payment for a few vials of medicines that Elham made. _Was it two months ago?_

Elham sweared she could still feel Luna's teeth digging so hard, so good, in her inner thigh - shudders surged through her at the memory.

But none of that mattered right now. Dignity and shamelessness easily blurred. Elham was restless, and Luna had always been a good source of ease, comfort. She might as well enjoy this as much as she wanted.

  
Luna spoke finally. There was superiority in her voice, but that had always been there in one way or another. And not all those ways were bad. "I know," she said, reaching Elham, two cups in her hands. "You are still working on a cure." And now there was a smile on her lips, dazzling, and one in her sweet eyes, teasing - Elham resisted a need to avert her gaze down and take a good look at full breasts; at toned abdomen and thighs. "How's that been going, by the way? With the La One I brought?"

Elham arched an eyebrow. "You said you don't want to hear about any of my work again."

"So you got nothing new?" Luna guessed the truth anyway. "I see."

Elham rolled her eyes, and huffed. "And how are you so sure I don't?"

"Because if you did, you wouldn't have been able to shut up about it no matter what."

It was fleeing and sudden, but anger flashed in Luna's eyes. Bitter and biting at Elham's heart.

Almost immediately, Luna looked away, sighing. Regretful, perhaps. She gulped down the contents of both cups in her hands. It must be bitter, because she squeezed her eyes shut, her nose wrinkled.

"Wasn't that for me?" Elham asked, finally able to not wish for this night to be anything but what it was: two leaders doing business.

When Luna looked at Elham again, there was tenderness in her eyes, sheer and rarely directed at Elham nowadays. But tonight it also felt strange. "Sorry, I was thirsty," she said, heading back to fill Elham's cup.

Elham manged to not look, barely. Even if her apology sounded as though it was intended for much more than taking Elham's drink, she despised how her feelings were easily toyed with by Luna, whether it was on purpose or not. _But only when her meetings with Luna had loaded tension rather than satisfying remarks and bickering about what they didn't have anymore._

  
That tenderness did not matter, either, Elham told herself. She didn't want it to, didn't need it, but even something as tiny as that was out of her control.

Her heart fluttered in response to Luna's lingering smile when she returned. She took the cup, and drank it in one gulp. She didn't like it, didn't know what it was - the Forest City always came up with new and weird drinks - and it did nothing to drown out the burning sensations twisting in the pit of her stomach. Or to wash away the heaviness in her heart.

They were not lovers anymore, she should not be sad. She was a fucking grown woman, but she was also still so deeply in love.

 _Complicated,_ Elham decided as Luna held her gaze, _like it has always been_.

"Maybe I should fulfill my debt with someone other than you," Elham said with enough willpower to keep her eyes locked to Luna's. She desperately wanted to see her naked body, and hated - from the bottom of her heart - how conflicted she was being about that. "You know it doesn't have to be you just because we're both the leaders. The law says so."

  
Luna chuckled softly and headed for the bed.

Elham lost her control over her eyes instantly, completely. Her throat bobbed, her lips twitched. A need to lick and bite Luna's plump buttocks storming her body.

"Or maybe you should get on your knees."

Luna's hair was alluring in its free movement, her voice was calm as a serene night when she added with unfaltering confidence, crawling on the bed for Elham to see her tempting hole and glistening pussy. "Now, please."

Elham's breath was caught in her throat; a pathetic attempt to maintain some sort of composed look. It didn't work because Luna carelessly flipped her hair and turned to her, still on her four - or three as one hand reached her mouth, her lips sucking two fingers inside.

Elham was here to pay, that was given, but was she supposed to not like how Luna was right now? cruel in the way she teased her, naked and welcoming and already wet for her? Was she supposed to pretend she had not yearned for those sultry eyes of Luna to fixate on her just like that?

Elham's fingers tightened around the cup, she couldn't think and her insides burned.

Luna gave her no break, however. Her saliva shimmered on her fingers as she took them out and started rubbing herself. Her whimper was immediate after the first touch, muffled by a bitten lip, her toes curled up and she wasn't looking at Elham anymore.

"Elham, hurry."

Luna called for her, an echo from memories Elham should have forgotten long ago.

Heat rushed to Elham's face even more, her lips parting and heartbeats pounding in her ears; wetness pooling.

  
Elham would like to look less eager, but she wasn't. Not with how Luna's faint gasps filled the quiet of the night. And she knew Luna liked her eager, among other things.

Elham's tongue was out even before she reached Luna's leaking pussy, and for a second, she's lapping wetness from both Luna's pussy and her coated fingers. But then she moved Luna's hand away, and adjusted herself behind her.

  
Luna's sigh of relief was long and deep, and Elham only mirrored it with a heavy heart and provoked determination to please Luna. Elham's skin shined with a thin layer of sweat and her fingers dug hard into Luna's butt to spread her, to have more of her.

  
Elham hummed with every taste lingering in her mouth, with every moan Luna let out, her own wetness was soaking her pants now, her pussy clenched on nothing when she pushed her tongue past Luna's entrance in maddening hunger to take everything she could.

  
Ease instantly washed her from the inside with every moan spilling from Luna's mouth and turned her blazing lust into a smooth, steady flow, building up with each thrust from Luna.

Luna arched her back, suddenly whimpering, then pushed Elham, but only to lie on her back and place a hand over Elham's head to guide her back to her pussy without hesitation.

Luna's fingers were strong on her head; fingernails scratching in her attempts to have a fistful of Elham's short hair.

Elham adjusted Luna's legs over her shoulders. She inhaled deeply, in need to carve Luna's rich scent in her memory anew. The bush of Luna's mound tickled her nose, but Elham liked it, loved the way Luna whined when she ignored her clit.

Luna entangled all of her fingers in Elham's hair, her breathlessness was evident now. "I missed your mouth, Elham. Why aren't you desperate for my help more often, or even cross my lands uninvited?"

Elham didn't have an answer for that right now, not with her pulse hammering in her head and lust simmering in her blood like that.

  
"Yes! Just like that," Luna said when Elham added one finger deep inside of her pussy.

The bed's frame squeaked when Luna started fucking her mouth and finger as rough as she could.

Elham reached one hand to knead her breast, to pinch her hardened nipple. To fill herself with the feel of Luna's supple flesh under her palm.

"Oh, Elham. More. You feel so good, Elham." Her voice wavered, it filled Elham unwarranted for pride.

It didn't matter how good she was at fucking Luna, the Forest City's leader was no longer in love with her.

But her name spilled liked that fuelled Elham into wanting Luna more fallen apart. She sucked her clit hard then, hard to the point where Luna was a heartbeat away from crushing her head with her thighs, a loud groan erupting from her throat.

  
Luna's wetness coated Elham's jaw, her thighs flexed and Elham found all of it resembling a time she desperately longed to live again, even with La Ones roaring in the distance.

  
Elham opened her eyes and the view of Luna coming was fascinating. Luna, the mighty leader of the Forest City writhing and twisting and moaning, completely undone by Elham's mouth and touch.

  
It was some sort of power that Elham had over the feared leader of the forest. That Luna had made sure to say and not say on their best moments after their separation.

But also, a voice whispered, the fact that Elham was closer to finding a cure, to solving the mystery of the La Ones than any other leader or person in the area. That was also some mighty power Luna did not have.

Luna's chest was heaving, bare and painted with sweat. Her lips were parted in a smile and her eyes were closed.

Elham stared at her, cherishing every twitch and shudder seizing Luna as she lapped her come properly until Luna pushed at her, signaling for her stop.

  
Luna met her eyes when she got up with shimmering ones, blinking rapidly. "Why did you make me come quickly? I hate it when you do that."

Elham herself was barely standing straight, her knees being sore and her pussy being scorching hot and demanding her attention.

  
Elham raised an eyebrow, fully aware of how damp and warm her clothes felt. "You have urgent matters to attend to, remember? And I wasn't trying to make you come this quick," Elham answered, a little smug. Though she didn't show it, and it didn't show in her small smile. A fond smile despite herself.

  
Luna closed her eyes again, humming. Not offended whatsoever. She reached a hand to her pussy to ease away the sensitivity.

  
Elham would have done that herself if Luna liked it, but Luna didn't. Nor did she like to fuck when she was anxious.

Elham wondered if there were more reasons to Luna's worry than what she had said earlier, but she knew asking wouldn't get her anything.

Luna would tell her later, when she figured out solutions and fixed whatever was wrong. She always told her, even after their breakup.

Luna remained silent. She looked sleepy, Elham would say. And Elham watched, aroused and suddenly back to her reality.

When had she escaped it?

For a moment there, she had forgotten what's still out there, far and close to these wooden boxes.

Elham hid her frown, wiped her chin with her sleeve, and quickly decided to head for the table to refresh herself with the prepared water and cloths. The last thing she wanted was for Luna to see her sudden annoyance at things not relating to her, but as she made her step, she was interrupted by one of Luna's feet.

Elham furrowed her brows, Luna trailed her toes along her hip, her thigh, then closer to her crouch. A string of lingering desires fluttering wildly in Elham's stomach just by that faint touch.

Luna's eyes were unmistakably darkened with lust. Elham used to worship those eyes, maybe she still was.

"Lower your pants," Luna commanded, somehow sounding so sure Elham would comply. "You didn't think the price of a whole La One, a perfect La One, would be just that, now did you?"

And okay, maybe Elham had been far gone since the moment Luna entered the room to receive her payment, and had been deeply numb with a cloud of her scent and the sensation of her skin against hers, but surely she would not want Luna to see how willing she was to do anything she wanted.

  
Elham complied.

She unbuckled her belt and lowered her pants as far as she could with shaky hands in the span of a few seconds because Luna was welcoming her with half-lidded eyes and open legs. "You should change your mind about establishing long-term business with us, Elham." Luna spoke, well rested if her tone was any indication. "I'd love to see you more often." She joked, sort of.

Elham knew this for sure and was this close to reply that, to fall in the trap of endless arguments about life and future and cure. But Luna was warm under her, mellow and dripping, and she fell in that sensation deeply instead. Luna did not have a chance to add more, she whimpered with each movement caused by Elham's rush to straddle one thigh and align her pussy against Luna's.

Elham groaned at the first contact, her hips already thrusting for more friction like an inexperienced teen eager to fuck, but Luna must be sensitive still because she gasped and dug her fingers in Elham's hip to stop her. "Not even a kiss? So stingy."

Elham had to gather all her strength to stop moving. "For fuck's sake, don't mess with me, Luna."

Elham gazed at her, stiff and burning; wrinkles carved on her forehead and beads of sweat trickling down her spine.

She's a little embarrassed - a little because Luna had seen her like this a lot, had made her like this a lot. Eager and wanton - and a little not wanting to give a fuck because Luna's pussy felt so good against her own.

"I'm not!" Luna answered with a lazy smile, she looked dazed. "I told you, I missed your mouth. C'mon." She prompted Elham with her hand.

It was strange, they haven't properly kissed after their break up. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment when their minds were clouded with lust, with selfishness to have a mind-blowing orgasm, they would kiss. But that was it. They never sought it on purpose, they never meant anything more with it.

So for Luna to want a kiss from her, to want to kiss her, it left Elham confused and... well, fully aware of her longing to kiss her former lover.

Luna was stroking her hip with her thumb, but she said nothing more. Only kept staring at Elham's eyes with an unreadable look in them. A look that tugged at Elham's weak heart.

Elham leaned down, all the while not breaking their gaze. One hand reached to cup Luna's face, causing Luna to part her lips with a quiet and faint gasp.

Luna seemed to be anticipating the touch of her lips; she was trembling under her and clinging to her all at once, but Elham felt the looming danger of this.

 _They were not lovers, they were not making love,_ she reminded herself. She couldn't fall into this.

Elham kissed the corner of Luna's mouth, only because she did not know how to not fall, and maybe going with one of Luna's favorites could bring her back to what this was. A payment.

Luna shuddered as more kisses followed the expanse of her jaw, her breath was caught behind her (now) pursed lips. Her hands and leg keeping Elham settled on her assured The Port's Leader that she wasn't off course.

Elham moved her lips leisurely against soft skin one second and kissed lightly the next. The more she opened her mouth, the louder Luna's gasps got.

Elham's mouth was always one of her favorites, and Elham knew that.

She retreated for Luna's lips once she reached her earlobe, but only brushed her lips against pliant ones. An unsteady breath escaped Luna's mouth, almost a whine. Elham had to restrain herself form biting down hard because of how good hearing that was, because of how nice it felt to have Luna hold her like that; touch her like that.

She painted a similar path on the other side of Luna's jaw, enjoying the way Luna rubbed herself against her thigh and scratched her exposed skin.

Elham had been keeping most of her weight off Luna, but when she buried her face in the crook of Luna's nick and used her tongue - one, slow and long sweep upward that ended only with a hard bite at her earlobe, which was instantly followed by Elham sucking the supple flesh, Luna arched into her, moaning and pulling her down.

Without her notice, Elham started to rock her hips the moment Luna held her closer. The pleasure burst in the pit of her stomach, shot right toward her pussy.

She should be patient, Elham tried, but instead ended up nibbling the soft flesh under Luna's jaw, and those gentle bites quickly turned to sucking. She uncontrollably hummed in satisfaction, and planted her palm over Luna's breast.

Her pace faltered at that, and Elham knew she would not last for long and Luna wanted a kiss from her.

She quickly pulled back, leaned on one hand, and gazed at the woman she had loved greatly. She was breathless, and so was Luna, whose eyes shimmered with something nice, and something... sad.

It reminded Elham of the day they broke up. After all, Luna did love her back. As much as she loved the possibility of a future

Elham captured her lips then, deeply and hungrily. She kissed her like all the running she had been doing to chase down a cure had finally come to an end and she could breathe. She kissed her like it was the one thing that mattered in the world of monsters.

Elham moaned into the kiss when Luna kissed her with as much desperation, letting herself be consumed by Luna without much thought.

She reached her hand down and easily plunged two fingers in Luna, both of them gasped. Elham's hips itched to move harder as pleasure centered in her pussy, every rub at her clit, every trail she made on Luna, they were simply too much to resist.

Soon, she was crumbling so fast, so obviously and so loud in front of Luna, who built a city from ruins; a new beginning to those who wished to move on, who moaned for Elham to keep going.

Luna's fingers pressed harder on her butt, hard enough to bruise, to leave her mark on Elham, but that only drove Elham to find one pace for them both.

They were not making love, but maybe this was the closest they would get to that.

*

  
Elham crossed the borders of Luna's lands with La Ones on her tail. The forest began a few minutes of run after the river, and there, close to the tops of the trees, a few houses of the Forest City peeked at her.

Panting, and legs burning with ache, Elham sprinted and did not think of how shaky the ground beneath her felt.

She groaned, the fear was almost crippling - it did pull a few tears from her as if she hadn't been in this situation a million times before, but she kept going. The thuds vibrated through the ground and reached her heart, and so did the endless growls.

She knew some of her own had already fallen, and if she lived, there would be time to grieve.

"Sand, the horn!" Elham commanded, noticing the boy with a calming hair color sprinting faster on her right.

Not a second pass before a loud, booming sound filled the whole scene of their desperation to survive this.

Her comrades shared her lack of hesitation to pass the line of trees, Elham was oddly comforted by that. The forest's ground was rough, rugged and very not helpful in their escape toward safety. Leaves and branches scratched at her face, making it hard for her to keep a steady pace as loud single shots travelled between the trees. Birds squeaked in similar escape.

"Fucking finally!" John groaned with frustration. "The ladders, head for the fucking ladders!" He guided them, pointing out at each one he spotted.

The La Ones roared behind Elham - they were three, maybe four if Sam couldn't take out the one looking like a bald bear - and her comrades gasped and cursed angrily as Luna's people protected them with deafening shots.

She couldn't see any of the La Ones, but she heard them clearly, and when John called for her to climb the ladder, she didn't want to linger and see how her bullets barely damaged them.

Not to mention, she was a bad shooter when chased by a monster that stole the world from her.

  
*

  
Embarrassment was the second to sear through Elham when Luna arrived from the other side of the city, with anger being the first because it should have been a quick and quiet visit to The Station, a place with a few rules and much wickedness. And information that Elham needed.

But needing Luna, again, wasn't on Elham's plans, so the anger did not resolve, not even a little, and Luna only looked smug since the moment she reached the wooden plate - a small gathering area, or something close to that. It was crafted nicely and skillfully, nonetheless. Built perfectly between dependable trees with the heart of surviving, adapting.

It was quiet, though, as they were at the outskirt of Luna's city. Elham stared at the bridges and paths leading to several directions and levels. It was a solid structure, Elham knew, admirable. A few people appeared every other moment, some with jokes about the good time they were about to have as payment from Elham and her comrades, some only with soft thuds from their boots.

  
Elham massaged her face in an attempt to relax. The others - both her own and Luna's - maintained their quiet talks as Luna was talking with the guards who helped them up to the city. She was missing a particular someone by her side: hot-tempered and tall and serious about building a new world because no one was ever going to find a cure for the La Ones. But perhaps that was some sort of kindness from life. Elham hated April, but only because Luna loved her, shared the same view about the La One world with her.

She'll see, Elham thought, a little annoyed just by thinking about Luna's second in command. Soon, both of them will see the fruit of her years-long work. But then Elham remembered something, a sudden thought clearing up an unnoticed fog. Wasn't April supposed to be making relations with Sol harbor? Elham vaguely remembered, she had heard John talking with the others as she passed by them so she couldn't know for sure if that was the reason behind her absence.

  
Luna was smiling when she finally approached her. "It must be our lucky day, Elham!" she exclaimed, hands clasping under her chin.

Elham folded her arms. "Speak for yourself."

Luna didn't falter as she continued to rub defeat in Elham's face, hugging her. "Me saving you, sort of. You standing here more than willing to pay me nice and good again." She feigned a sigh of happiness. "It is a wonderful day, Elham."

Elham frowned. "No, it isn't. I almost got killed. There is nothing wonderful about it."

"All of us will get killed sooner or later," Luna spoke casually as she stood before her. She had hair tied up, the expanse of her neck looked alluring.

There was nothing wonderful about it, Elham convinced herself.

"La Ones or not, we're still getting perished by diseases and nature, Elham."

Elham had to keep her neck craned down a little, and with how Luna's eyes were fixating on her - their sheer depths hypnotizing, Elham could never realize the soreness in the back of her neck.

"Let's just get to business, please? What do you want from us as payment?" Elham asked, but she wasn't prepared for the sudden pulsing in her pussy. She averted her eyes for the split of a second, it was enough to draw a ghost of a smirk to Luna's lips.

"Well, between goods and orgasms, you know what I'm inspired to pick right now?"

"Don't you think you're having way too much fun with this?" Elham said through gritted teeth. "I've just lost two of my own, The Station demaded one of ship as payment, and I'm not even sure if Leo is infected or not."

Her words barely cut through the cruel delight painted on Luna's features. "well, it's unfortunate for him considering you still haven't found a cure for anything," Luna told her. She almost sounded harsh, or did sound harsh.

Elham could not tell, could not figure out the look in her eyes.

She tried to define it, though, even with knowing that the period of thirteen years since their break up might be finally taking its toll on everything she knew and felt about Luna. Even if Luna might be close to being a stranger now, a different stranger than the one Elham met after the end of the better world.

She tried because that's all she had left of Luna. The familiarity of her.

Luna looked elsewhere, just fleetingly, then suddenly she's kinder. Serious. "You can pay us tomorrow if you and yours need time."

Elham shook her head. "Let's just get over with it now."

"Oh, eager." Luna joked lightly, as light as the breeze seeping through the trees. She inched closer, her earthly scent clouding Elham's mind. "Two hours sound good with you? You'll have enough time to go back to your camp after that." She trailed one finger on the leather strap across Elham's chest, which didn't gain any response from Elham. But then Luna spoke more, a silvery whisper that settled in the pit of Elham's stomach. "Or should I make them three? You work better under pressure."

At that, Elham failed at keeping her heartbeats in check. And though she's tired and had a lot to deal with, mainly worrying about Leo when there was literally nothing that could be done if he was infected and not accidentally injured, and finding the bodies of her fallen comrades so she could bury them - if there was anything left of them - she was fully aware of how not reluctant she was to the idea of pleasuring Luna.

She should be, Elham supposed, she should hate this power Luna had over her feelings and all powers Luna had over her. With more territories than her, more resources and people believing in her goals. She should at least Keep in mind that some day Luna, or any other leader in the area, might want her little corner to shape as part of their new world. A proper life.

But she really doesn't care about any of that, not with the progress she had made.

Elham held back her sigh, realizing how aroused she was getting.

"Sand will go back and alert the Port about the situation, I will fulfill his dept."

"Sending your kid out there alone so you can pay me the double?" Luna's eyes widened. "Missed me that much, hm, Elham?"

"Not alone," Elham answered, annoyed. "Min will go with him."

"You aren't in a position to decide things here, Elham," Luna countered calmly, "especially not things related to my people."

Elham stared at her, jaw clenched.

She wasn't completely without any power here, she might as well use everything she had.

Elham wet her lips, and tilted her head closer to Luna's ear. She resisted the temptation to inhale her scent. "Then what position would you like me to be in for my wish to be granted?"

Luna didn't give her any sort of satisfying reaction, she didn't give on at all, but Elham was determined. She erased the distance between her lips and Luna's cheek, confident that none could notice. Or perhaps careless.

The softness of her cheek was... wonderful, Elham would say, the kind of wonderful she wanted to taste more of. Needed to feel more of, especially right now. After all that work to finally get a breakthrough, after all that loss.

Luna only pressed that one finger she still had on Elham's chest harder, answering.

The press was hard enough to make familiar sensation whirl wildly within Elham.

She pulled back, and Luna turned away, forbidding her the sight of her eyes. Then she demanded one certain girl's attention. "Min, take the boat and escort the mute back to his camp, Elham is to pay instead of him."

"Hey!" Elham protested, irritated. "Don't call him that."

Luna didn't even spare her a look. "Get back before dark."

Min, whose cheeky smile and excitement could be seen and felt from here, stood right away. "Yes, Captain!" She answered, her rifle hugged to her chest. Sand waved at her before following his friend through the wooden path leading into the forest; into the city instead of the way they've come from. His hair stood out amongst all the green and dark brown, and his smile was serene enough to assure Elham that today was not the worst.

"Payment ends in three hours," Luna announced finally, directing her words to her people. Then added with a warning. "Only two at a time, don't make a mess."

Luna glanced at Elham once, then headed through the bridge leading to the private Payment Room as her people led Elham's group toward the public rooms. Elham noticed boredom on some of them, and eagerness to fuck or be fucked on others.

It wasn't a strange or a new look, they have lived in this world for almost thirty years. They knew the rules of said world.

Elham followed the other leader with a sigh.

*

Luna's private room was a space in heaven in daylight. Or it had always been like that but now that she had been close to death again, Elham found it more relaxing. Safe. A normal room with soft sun rays washing everything with ease.

It had fresh water in a pot and smelled so nice, and Elham suspected the rest of the city smelled as nice. Elham had seen little of it as her visits always seemed to be for the leader's private room, regardless of who was owing the other an orgasm.

Elham thought about that while watching her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was close to messy, and the dark bags under her eyes had deepened since the last time she stopped looking at samples and results, and looked in the mirror.

She felt at ease, be it because she needed rest and here she was in Luna's safety, or because of the intoxicating calmness of the forest.

Elham splashed her face with water and fixed her hair.

She didn't like how light she was feeling without her jacket and gear, especially while being several feet above the ground.

"What were you doing in The Station?" Luna's voice came out quiet. "That's a long way from The Port, and a ship isn't a cheap payment."

In a second, Elham was eager to tell her all about her new discovery. One reason for that being to show her how she was not failing. Wasting life.

"I thought you don't care about what I do."

Elham dried her face and hands, walking steadily and calmly toward her. (She was worried that any step would be too heavy on the floor.)

"You brought La Ones to my doorstep, I think I have enough right to know what was so important you were so reckless."

As it turned out, the window was facing the edge of the forest. Elham could see the river that almost claimed them, the clearing they sprinted across with dirty boots and heavy hearts. She could see a little of bit of the sky, and the tree leaves were only kind to let her see all of that instead of blocking everything.

Elham leaned on the wall. Luna looked no less calming, even with her folded arms, and knitted brows, she looked so beautiful that Elham had to resist an urge to stare, to bask in her beauty or even heal in her presence.

Elham gazed outside the window, she should maybe start trying to stop looking lovesick every time she was with Luna. Even if she was desperately and irreversibly still in love with her. She inhaled deeply before beginning, the freshness was nice. "The La One you brought me, whoever they were before they got turned, they had late-stage cancer." Elham told her, sort of succeeding at keeping her enthusiasm and pride at minimum, silent levels. "Very late-stage, they probably had only a few months to live."

She looked at Luna to see her reaction, but got only indifference, perhaps even annoyance as they locked eyes. "Meaning, I was finally able to figure out the timeline of infection and transformation! That's huge, Luna, we have never been able to test La Ones' blood properly because we either got them too late after the infection, or we ended up killing them before they killed us once they turned, but my suspicions proved to be right! At some point after the full transformation, and for a very short period of time, their blood is close to a human than a La One!" Elham could not help a beaming smile, she was happy after all. The thrill was still simmering in her veins. And getting the chance to brag about it to Luna, who gave up on finding a cure, was only a victory in its own right even if it had never been a goal. "Well, as close as it gets, anyway. The La One attacked and broke most of our equipment, but we managed." Elham turned her gaze back to the world outside the safe box. "After more tests and more sleepless nights, I can confidently say that whatever it was that made La Ones... well, La Ones, it affected the essential bases of our being. DNA, genes, all of that tiny things beyond my area of expertise."

"Genes?" Luna asked, questioning. "You went to see that fucking maniac, didn't you?"

"Yes, I needed Ynot's opinion."

"I can't believe you." Luna sounded so angry. "After everything she had done the moment there was no one around to judge or restrain her?"

Elham frowned, getting annoyed herself. Luna looked at her with much familiar darkness in her orbs. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, Luna, but unless you have genetic experts and scientists hidden in your little city, she's all we have." The same darkness that fuelled Luna into killing one La One all by herself, the blood of loved ones had been still coating the both of them - shimmering under a fire that lit up a bleak, unforgettable night.

But there was more than darkness now. Elham could tell, could connect it to the bitterness and hurt swelling in her heart.

There was contempt, disgust, hate. And all because Elham was willing to go as far as she could to figure out the truth.

Elham shook her head, lowered her gaze in disappointment. Hurt, and vaguely aware it was her fault for still expecting love from Luna. "Everything had been altered, you know, its blood showed as much. DNA, genes and all that make us humans, they were there but... twisted, weird." She hated how sad she sounded, so she tried to ignore everything she felt, to at least hide it in front of her former lover. "I need all the help I can get to figure out this whole thing, and remind me again me why do you care?" Elham suddenly demanded, but ended up complaining. "It's not like I've ever asked you for anything, you've made it very clear you don't want anything to do with my researches, and I kept my distance, but then you go ahead and bring me a test subject and get angry when I do everything I can. I don't get you, Luna!"

Luna listened in silence, her eyes piercing Elham with inexplicable rage. Unwarranted for.

"You're really oblivious to anything and everything beyond the La Ones, aren't you?" Luna asked coldly.

Elham had heard something similar once or twice, from Luna herself. She wanted no more of it. "What 'everything' are you talking about? The cities swamped with La Ones? The civilization they buried under our bodies? Everything is fucking theirs, Luna! Including us," she let out, heartbeats pacing. "Just because you're pretending the world is still ours, it doesn't make it the truth!" She spat, willing the words with not only her voice but her eyes as she held Luna's, nearing her. "it doesn't mean you're fucking free from them."

Tears rushed to Luna's eyes, her irises trembled, but she kept peering at Elham. Her rage and pain were aching, Elham felt them as sheer as she felt the pang in her heart upon realizing she had hurt Luna, but she held her ground.

Luna looked away the moment a tear fell. "Leave."

At first Elham was hesitated, every fiber in her being wished to erase Luna's pain, to take it from her and squish it under her boots.

  
But Luna did not need her when she left to start a life, she did not need her now.

  
Elham took her things and left the room without a goodbye. The Forest felt quiet, it felt as though the trees and every bit of the fabulous structure were not welcoming her anymore for upsetting Luna.

Elham lowered her head, she should get used to the pain in her heart. She might have gotten closer to a cure, but it didn't mean that she does find it, Luna would suddenly want to be with her again.

  
*

  
There were three cages to ensure the maximum amount of safety. If the La One broke out of the first, there were still two to give them time to react - or to be exact, to push the big red button that would release several sharp blade to cut the beast down, that's why Elham felt no fear spending her nights in her lab on land. Even with the La One snarling at her endlessly until it fell asleep.

This one was capable of sleep, Elham wished all of them were. It might have made life easier.

Might, she wasn't really sure if anything could make life easier anymore.

  
She missed the sway of the ship, but Elham guessed it was because she got used to it after living in a ship for years, not out of love for the dizzying movement.

  
Sand stayed with her when there wasn't a hunting trip or a supply run, never starting a conversation but always diligent in helping her, but tonight a few were throwing a bonfire and he was the first to be there - probably with a huge smile on his face.

Elham smiled, a stray thought passing her mind. If only his parents could see how happy he was at times like these, if only they got the chance to see how strong and brave he would grow up to be.

Elham thought about doing the same as she was sick of staring at the confined beast and waiting for solutions and explanations to suddenly appear in her head like a lightbulb, or for Ynot's endless notes to make sense. Elham was actually suspecting that Ynot knew about the La Ones far more than let out.

Before Elham could make up her mind, however, or re-evaluate her decision to deal with the freak who feasted on survivors' desperation, John came in.

"Elham, got a minute?" He asked, but did not enter. He had dirt all over him, Elham suspected he came here right away upon returning from the goods exchange with The Forest City.

Elham walked over to him, knowing he didn't like to be near the La One.

Her limbs felt stiff, she stretched them.

"What's wrong?" Elham inquired as soon as she noticed the grim look on his features.

"Luna's second - April. She died," He answered with a voice so gentle Elham heard care echoing with it in the quiet corridor. "There was an accident at the cliffs, one of the side-houses they were building collapsed and took April down with it."

Elham went blank, she could not register what he said next - something about Luna's people still trying to retrieve the body and no one else was fatally injured. Wasn't April establishing relations with Sol Harbor since the beginning of the month? When Luna brought her the La One?

Elham was confused, her heartbeats sounded louder, full of unmatched fear.

April kept Luna safe, kept the Forest City safe. Not many wanted to anger her, and now that she's gone, the other gangs would think the Forest City's leader was vulnerable.

Elham caught up.

"Min and her father are announced as Luna's seconds, which I couldn't agree with more. Min had been making a good name for herself, remember her from when used to live here? She's a headstrong, much like April, and her father is an architect. Surely Raiders and The Fortress wouldn't try anything stupid when he just started helping both properly building their territories."

And one fear was stifled with that reassurance, confusion soared, and turned into burning sensation. "She fell?" she asked, finding trouble believing April was gone. Really gone. All of it didn't make sense. She had seen April months ago and never thought that was the last time.

Luna looked strange without April by her side, and Elham had thought it would only be a matter of time before April returned to fill her spot next to the Forest City's leader.

John nodded. "In the water." And explained more, but his voice faded from her focus as an answer she had never searched for dawned upon her. April wasn't with Luna when she brought the La One, a monster Luna had decided long ago to kill and forget all about. Kill and move on, kill and live. No more researches, no more trying to find a cure.

"Wh--" Elham's voice broke before she could manage to utter her disbelief. "It can't-"

Tears pooled in her eyes.

"What can't?" John's eyes were filled with confusion, but Elham could not stop her mind from piecing everything together.

  
She rushed back to the lab, with John on her tail - worried enough to keep nearing the La One.

  
The La One looked nothing like April, it had no eyes and its head barely resembled a human's, but April looked so tired the last time Elham saw her. So smiley and content and even nice to Elham.

And Luna... _Oh, Luna._

  
Elham fell to her knees before the cages, tears falling. "April?" she called, but the La One was asleep. Not all La Ones slept, but this one slept a lot. It was a good thing as she got to draw as much blood and samples as she can before there was nothing of use from it.

The caged La One gave her no reaction.

"Elham, what's going on?" John asked, she could feel his tension.

With tears spilling down her cheeks, Elham panicked. She quickly reached and pressed on the red button.

Metallic blades screeched and whipped from all three cages to cut through the beast and turn it into several lifeless pieces of anomaly. Mystery.

  
Elham wept then, numbness and tremors sneaking into her body all at once. She had found a truth she was not looking for.

 

*

 

  
The day Elham finally saw Luna again was a bleak day. It had been graced with a late-autumn sky and unsettled winds. It had started with the same hollowness Elham had fallen into the past few days, and continued with the same discouragement she had not been able to discard.

Something within her had been broken into crumbs, something that Elham had thought of to be unyielding in the way it burned endlessly. Not it was still there, but it was different.

Luna lied to her, or fooled her. There must be a reason for that - Elham knew a reason, the area had four leaders, and all of them (despite Elham's wishes) were rivals to no end.

It must be that, or a better reason, but regardless, Elham couldn't find ease, couldn't find solace to offer Luna. Only political politeness, and questions, and anger. Lots of anger.

Which. "Anger doesn't look good on you, Elham."

Luna sounded as silvery as ever. She sounded like if there was any peacefulness left in the world, she was its source, and for the first time in thirteen years, Elham forbid herself from being drawn into it without conflict or second thoughts.

Elham had been waiting for Luna at the cliffs. Having said her condolences to all whom she had known from when they used to live at The Port, she had withdrawn from where everyone was gathered up at the trees as soon as she could. A small ceremony to bid April farewells.

It was still morning, but Elham felt unsettled. Not even the endless, sheer blue of the sky and the ocean could reassure her.

"Well, lying doesn't suit you." Elham countered, still sitting on the ground with her back against a huge rock. She should maybe adjust her hair, it had gotten longer than usual, which means looking messier in a such a windy day.

Absently, Elham reached a hand to smooth her hair into a proper look.

"Is that what you think I did?"

Elham turned to her, and against her wishes, her heart raced. Recognizing everything about Luna was never difficult for Elham. It actually used to be something that Elham hated, back when they just met and they were busy surviving instead of talking with each other.

Luna's eyes were puffy and sadness was evident on her features now.

Elham felt twinges of pain upon remembering the mask Luna had worn during their last meetings, and the hurt and rage that slipped though its cracks.

"I don't know. I haven't been able to think of anything ever since that night, Luna." Elham finally replied, honest and reproaching and strangely able to regain her grip over her stubborn heart. "God! how are you so calm, so sane after all of this?"

Luna sat by her side in silence. Only the winds, the waves and the birds, and the fragments of life both of them protected were accompanying the silence that Luna didn't seem like about to break.

  
Elham could not give her the quiet, however.

"Were you using me? Playing me around like a fucking puppet?" Elham asked steadily, bracing herself for any answer she would get because she knew it'd be the truth.

Luna locked eyes with her. "No," she answered, simple and firm. Her eyes said as much, even with tears pooling in them. "You're a terrible liar, Elham, and I couldn't risk it."

Elham swore then, her chest tightening with a storm of emotions.

She covered her face with her hands, elbows placed on her bent knees.

It didn't matter much that Luna did have a reason because she had been suffering with April's fate, and Elham couldn't see past the performance Luna had put in front of her ever since she brought the La One - April - to her.

Luna rested her head on Elham's shoulder, and maybe Elham was indeed eternally defenceless against Luna because it took her only a moment before she wrapped her arm around Luna and hugged her closer.

 

"John buried her remains in a proper grave."

"I buried her." Luna corrected, a choked sob ensued, which seemed to make her aware of how she looked. In need for comfort. She backed away, roughly wiping the tears that were on the verge of falling as she gazed at Elham. "I buried her long before you did, I said my goodbye." Luna went on, suddenly grief was gone and anger replaced it. "I made my peace. We needed time, and you needed a test subject. I made my peace with what we did."

Elham watched as tears fell and fell despite Luna, stubborn like Luna herself, and knew what to do because even if they lived miles apart; worlds apart, some things between them might never change.

She sighed, inched closer and pulled Luna back in her embrace.

Luna breathed out a whimper, stiff and trembling. "She was not inside that thing, you did not have any of her!"

Elham closed her eyes, she knew what Luna meant. She had believed that some part of humans remained even after the transformation; consciousness, memories, the soul, Elham could not be sure but it was the only explanation as to why some La Ones showed signs of interactions with their surroundings for the briefest of moments.

Luna had always believed the opposite. Humans were fully gone the moment they transformed.

But here she was, weeping in Elham's arms when moments ago she had looked the strongest leader in the whole fallen world, and repeating firmly that Elham did not have any part of her.

Elham wished they knew for sure, wished being close to finding a cure, closer than ever, was still worth it.


End file.
